DrM mocks BN over Perak Deadlock

KUALA LUMPUR, – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has ridiculed Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi for asking Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir to lodge a police report against the Perak State Assembly Speaker.

Writing in his popular chedet.cc blog, he said that while it was possible for the Speaker to commit a crime, “the suspension of any assemblyman is not a crime which the police can take action against.”

Known for his acerbic criticism, the former prime minister has been a thorn in Abdullah’s side in recent years.

But in previous remarks, he has also expressed his disapproval over Barisan’s move to court the defections of the two former PKR Perak assemblymen – Osman Jailu and Jamaludin Mohd Radzi.

The resignation from PKR of the two men and their backing for Barisan Nasional (BN) sparked the downfall of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Perak government but it has also drawn criticism because the two men are facing graft charges in court.

In his latest blog post, Dr Mahathir poured scorn on Abdullah’s suggestion for Zambry to lodge a police report against Speaker V Sivakumar over the suspension of the Perak MB and his entire state executive council.

“If the decision of the Speaker can be considered a crime, then what will happen when the Parliamentary Speaker suspends opposition members for whatever reasons?

“And this happens frequently. Will opposition members lodge police reports? If they can, then can we consider the police to have powers over the Parliamentary Speaker?”

The former PM also commented on Zambry’s statement that he would attend the state assembly sitting despite the suspension.

He said that under the legislature’s standing orders, the Speaker can direct officers of the assembly to remove Zambry.

“Also, where will Zambry sit? What if Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin sits in the mentri besar’s chair? Will the Speaker ask his officers to force Nizar to vacate the chair?

“Let us all as citizens watch what happens next.” (TMI)

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Chedet to rejoin UMNO - Muhyiddin

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who quit Umno in a huff in an attempt to unseat Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is said to return to the party and will back Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the presidency in the year-end polls.

Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who has said he will fight to remain party vice-president, confirmed that Dr Mahathir had expessed his intention to return to the party at a meeting last Saturday.

Muhyiddin said he has informed Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak yesterday of Dr Mahathir's intentions. The former party president has been a trenchant critic of of his handpicked succesor Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and said he would only return to Umno when there was a change in leadership.

He had previously endorsed Najib for the top post but recently castigated him for not challenging Abdullah. Writing in his weblog which has received more than six million hits, Dr Mahathir has now backed the Kelantan prince and also Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim as suitable candidates for the presidency.

Several blogs by Dr Mahathir's supporters have said he will back Tengku Razaleigh for the post, an ironic twist to relations between both veteran politicians as the former party vice-president had challenged him in 1987 that split the party and led to Umno's deregistration.

Meanwhile, Bernama reports that Dr Mahathir had expressed his interest to return to Umno at a meeting last Saturday due to his concern over developments in the party but did not state when he would send in his application.

"You should ask Tun (Dr Mahathir) when he is ready to hand over the application form," Muhyiddin said today when asked when it would be submitted.

However, Muhyiddin who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, said Dr Mahathir had indicated that he (Dr Mahathir) was unsure whether his application to rejoin the party would be accepted by the supreme council.

"I have met Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the matter, but I have not met with the president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Whatever the decision, it is up to the supreme council," he told reporters after a meeting with the Malaysian Services Development Council (MSDC).

However, Muhyiddin felt that the former premier should not have any problem returning to Umno as the supreme council had said that Dr Mahathir was welcomed to rejoin Umno at any time even though his resignation from the party had been accepted.

Asked why Dr Mahathir agreed to return to Umno, Muhyiddin said he was concerned about what was happening with Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno.

"He is very concerned about the recent developments, not only in Umno but within BN. He is also concerned about the people's feelings and what is happening now. He thinks that by rejoining Umno, he can participate in rebuilding the party's confidence," he said.

Muhyiddin added that several Umno veterans including Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Tan Sri Sabbaruddin Chik and Tan Sri Sanusi Junid met with Dr Mahathir in a private meeting in Cyberjaya last Saturday.

Dr Mahathir, however, was not available for comment on the matter.

On Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail's meeting with Abdullah later today, Muhyiddin said: "Let him meet with the prime minister to seek views. We like to see this matter resolved in a manner that will benefit everybody."

Excerpt from http://m.themalaysianinsider.com/articles.php?id=8761


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Mahathir to migrate if Anwar became PM

Saying he did not want anyone like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim "who stabbed him in the back" as Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday he would rather migrate if the former deputy prime minister succeeds in toppling the Barisan Nasional government.

"If he comes Prime Minister, I will get out of the country. Give everything to him," Utusan Malaysia quoted the former prime minister's reply to a question at the Current Challenges for Malays forum here.

However, the acerbic Dr Mahathir was confident that Anwar will not become Prime Minister by September 16 although he was sure his former protégé would be victorious in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election this Aug 26.

He said Anwar was greedy enough for support that he would forsake the special privileges for his own race to cooperate with the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) which is filled with racism.

Excerpt from http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/headlines/42-lead-stories/2784-dr-m-will-migrate-if-anwar-becomes-pm

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